Voice: Doreen
Today is Friday, 28th of November. The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Psalm 139:1-12
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Matthew 11:7-19
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
He who has ears, let him hear
When you last flew on a plane, did you listen attentively to the pre-flight safety briefing?
“In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop automatically from the panel above you…”
Chances are, you didn’t. You probably felt familiar enough with the procedures.
Sometimes, we simply do not listen well. We fail to take heed.
Jesus said:
“But to what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”
Children instinctively respond to cues in their play. But we adults often forget how to respond to the cues of life.
John the Baptist preached to us, but people dismissed him: “He is strange. Just look at his diet and clothing. Too radical. Too negative.”
Jesus spoke to us, but we judged Him for associating with the wrong people.
His message was lost because our eyes were fixed on His company rather than His words.
Whether it is the stewardess, John the Baptist, our Lord Jesus, or the preacher last Sunday, we are called to listen carefully. It does not matter how unusual, imperfect, or familiar the messenger seems. Even if you think you already know, it is good to be reminded.
And by the way, can you recall what your pastor said last Sunday?
Some cues in life are of eternal importance.
So—he who has ears, let him hear.
We pray this Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.
Be blessed by this song, Quiet
Here we go again, my mind racing
And I can′t seem to win
All these crazy thoughts and feelings
It’s like it never ends
Until Your voice breaks through my noise
And I know I′m not alone, I’m not alone
You will fight my battles if I will just be still
Why would I keep running when You’re right here?
I′ll just be quiet
Let You speak through the silence
Here I am, no more hiding
You are in this moment, I won′t fight it
I’ll be quiet
I don′t need to know what comes next
Tomorrow’s in Your hands
I can trust You with my future
′Cause You’re already there
I hear Your voice call me forward
I know I′m not alone, I’m
not alone
Away with the distractions, I wanna hear what’s true
The only words that matter, they come from You
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at terrywong@anglican.org.sg
Daily Devotion 
Leave a comment